UKC

La Demande - verdon

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Heard mixed things about the pro on this so would be useful to hear from some one who has been up this relatively recently.

1. Is it bolted/insitu belays or do you have to build your own?
2. Are there bolts on every pitch or is it primarily a trad climb?
3. Is a partner who is onsighting 7b and redpointing 8a on single pitch sport but has no multipitch and almost no trad experience going to be ok or shit themselves?

Cheers

 metal arms 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher:

Couple of years ago but..

1. All bolted belays except maybe one near the top - Slings in a tree IIRC
2. Primarily a sport climb. I think we placed 1/2 small wires in the crux pitch.
3. They will piss it. Although it could be amusing watching them squirm on the chimneys near the top.
 Peter Milner 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher: The belays are all bolted and there are a few spaced bolts on each pitch, but you can place your own gear in between - I've heard it descibed as 'adventure-sport'. I would imagine that the exposure could be a bit traumatic for someone who's only ever done single-pitch - although it lessens a bit once you enter the confines of the chmineys.
 Jus 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher:


It's most bolted but it's not a 'sport climb'.The belays are fully bolted.

It's sparsely bolted in places (like the first pitch and crux chimney)

A few small and medium wires and a couple of cams will do the job. I didn't place many pieces.

It's a fairly standard (and amazing) 6a multipitch, however the chimney is awkward and bold and could stop someone who is only use to pulling on jugs and crimps in their tracks!

 GrahamD 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher:

If you are climbing with someone with no multipitch experience you might need to keep chivvying them on a bit - if you are not used to routes of that length its easy to faff around too much at changeovers.

The climbing is just steady and not really too exposed for a route in that situation.
 1poundSOCKS 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher: A good place to practice a Verdon 6a chimney...

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=192188
 Jus 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher:

ps. Make sure you take some long slings so you can use the odd tree as a runner, I remember there being a fantastic one in the chimney.
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher:

Years back we did it in 4.5 hours and gave it HVS 5a (not much fixed gear back then). According to the logbooks it is 6b (or 6b+) now and takes up to 12 hours. Make of that what you will!

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=41017


Chris
 GridNorth 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher: I did it back in the 80's and I always considered it to be a reasonable E1. Can't recall if that was 5a or 5b. It's a big undertaking considering the complexities of the approach/finish and length of the route, which is why I consider it E1. If you get caught in a thunderstorm in the chimney, as we did, it can be very intimidating. To say that someone who has climbed single pitch sport, regardless of the grade, will piss it is misleading, that's a judgement that you and he/she will have to make.
 Al Evans 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Chris Craggs: I think it's sad that such a great trad route has become a bolted up clip up
 GrahamD 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Chris Craggs:


> Years back we did it in 4.5 hours and gave it HVS 5a (not much fixed gear back then). According to the logbooks it is 6b (or 6b+) now and takes up to 12 hours. Make of that what you will!

Shows how much faith anyone should put into logbooks as any form of reliable grade information.

 Jonny2vests 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Al Evans:

Extrémité mince du coin.
 metal arms 22 Oct 2013
In reply to GridNorth:

> To say that someone who has climbed single pitch sport, regardless of the grade, will piss it is misleading, that's a judgement that you and he/she will have to make.

OK I'll rephrase that. In general if you can RP 8a/OS 7b you will piss 6a. Of course it's a judgement call but I thought that they wanted some opinions off random strangers on the internet!
 SteveSBlake 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Somerset swede basher:

I've done this five times now, most recently last year, It's really, very good.

Everything that's been advised is correct, I'd take a light rack, you may not use much of it but it's useful just in case. Nothing larger than a blue Camalot...

You are out of the sun for the top half which can be a relief. There is at least one 'interesting' chimney pitch - (the penultimate one up to the tree - you will recognise it) .

The bolts are pretty much where you need them, but it is quite runout between them - except on that chimney pitch, I think there are three up to the tree.


Last time we linked a number of pitches and did it in 8

There's a couple of useful trip reports on Supertopo. The Old School time of 4 1/2 hours may be 'false memory'. I did it BITD (I thought in a similar time) and having just done it, linking pitches etc and with the advantage of familiarity it still took 4.5 hours. Perhaps I'm just getting old.......

Steve
 GridNorth 22 Oct 2013
In reply to metal arms: This wasn't a dig at you but I have personal experience of climbing with people who indoors are fantastic and climbing in the 7's but just cannot handle the exposure and commitment required by multi-pitch routes like this. I had a recent holiday ruined because of this very problem.
 metal arms 22 Oct 2013
In reply to GridNorth:

No worries. You are quite right. I like to think that if you aren't having a 'proper' adventure (you know the sort - scared and overcommitted with a storm coming) in the Verdon you should have picked a more relaxing holiday!
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 22 Oct 2013
In reply to SteveSBlake:

> There's a couple of useful trip reports on Supertopo. The Old School time of 4 1/2 hours may be 'false memory'. I did it BITD (I thought in a similar time) and having just done it, linking pitches etc and with the advantage of familiarity it still took 4.5 hours. Perhaps I'm just getting old.......
>
> Steve

It is written in my old Pete Livesey guidebook, so no 'false memory' on my behalf!

Chris

PS Doing it five times = good effort!
 SteveSBlake 22 Oct 2013
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Hi Chris, I too did it 'really fast' @ 4hrs with Bob Smith in perhaps 1977. Now with all the tricks I can pull, knowledge and modern kit it's no faster! I think it's the conveyor belt of age, and it ain't going in my direction.

I recall doing the bottom half that day in just over an hour, at which point we hit a traffic jam in the chimney.....

Happy days (and they still are!)

Steve
In reply to Somerset swede basher:

Thanks all. Very useful feedback.
In reply to Somerset swede basher:
Just go and enjoy like we did in '75. The less you know the more you'll enjoy.

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